


His addiction

by Versolite



Series: A Rawson canvas [5]
Category: Gentleman Jack (TV)
Genre: Alcohol, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Brotherly Angst, Brothers, Caretaking, Christopher being an idiot and Jeremiah being done, Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:00:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27053809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Versolite/pseuds/Versolite
Summary: Or what happened to Christopher after Anne Lister gave him so many drinks in episode 7
Relationships: Christopher Rawson (1777-1849) & Jeremiah Rawson (1787-1839)
Series: A Rawson canvas [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1931890
Kudos: 4





	His addiction

He has knocked a couple of times at the office door already, but still hasn’t gotten any answer yet. The younger Rawson brother is starting to feel anxious; he nervously plays with his wedding ring a couple of seconds before ending up opening.

“Christopher?” he calls his brother with a concerned tone.

He finds him sitting at his desk, but not absorbed in his work as he expected. He has his face buried in his hands instead, and Jeremiah quickly figures why. The jug of whisky next to Christopher is half empty, and his glass still full. Maybe he’s in a bad mood; maybe the alcohol excess got him sick, and he can’t keep on drinking yet. Jeremiah can’t see what his face looks like right now, but it doesn’t matter. He won’t leave him alone anyways: he closes the door behind him, making sure no one is seeing such a scene, and comes closer to his big brother. As he’s approaching, he hears the incoherent whispers Christopher is letting go of between his hands.

“This woman… she thinks she’s so _smart,_ she believes she got me. But she doesn’t have any proof. She wants to see _me_ in court?!

-Christopher…

-Oh, soon she’ll be on the wrong side of the bars…

-Brother, it’s me. It’s Jeremiah. Are you alright?”

The hand he puts on his shoulder seems enough to shake him out of his thoughts. Christopher’s eyes meet Jeremiah’s; the younger can now see how bloodshot they are, how red his brother’s face is.

The view fills him with sadness and fatigue. It has been a while, since the last time Christopher’s addiction got the better of him to this stage. He usually knows how to handle himself when he’s drunk; but what the younger has been apprehending for weeks now turns out happening. A relapse.

“Hey. Easy now” he forces himself to smile, as he tilts his head, moving slowly to assure Christopher he’s not a danger. “You drank a little, didn’t you?

-She made me. Offered me a glass. Several glasses. I couldn’t say no.”

Jeremiah closes his eyes, processing the information. So Anne Lister knows. It’s not going to be good for neither of them, nor for the business. Christopher must pull himself together; God knows what he has been telling her while he was at Shibden Hall.

“I-I can’t let her think” his brother continues, staring at the floor. “I’m… I’m not fucking scared of her.

-I know.

-She’ll see, I-

-Christopher can you give me your glass? I think now is not the best time to drink.”

Too fast. The elder gives him a disgusted look, and Jeremiah’s stomach twists. Oh, yes, that’s right, his brother despises him. He almost forgot. Thanks, Christopher.

“Don’t tell me what to do.” the older coldly says.

“I’m not. I’m just asking it like a favor.

Despite his grimace, he hands him the glass nonetheless. Jeremiah barely hides his relief as he puts the drink aside; at least his brother is a bit reasonable. He then offer him his hand to help him stand up: “There… Easy, now. I’ll take you to your room, alright?

-I-I still know how to guide myself in our fucking house, Jeremiah.

-Will you let me help you or are you going to be a stubborn dick the whole time?”

The laughter Christopher blurts out is certainly not the answer Jeremiah was expecting, but he’s happy enough his brother didn’t try to murder him even once in the past ten minutes – which is, given his state, a true record. He decides not to tempt his luck, and stays silents while they’re climbing the stairs, as Christopher’s words change from curses to indigned assertions. Jeremiah’s thought have a hard time following along; _what if mother saw him in that state? Did Miss Lister really need to do that? What is she going to do with the information? Why did Chrisstopher go there?_ Somehow, his brother was confident enough to go to Shibden Hall; but knowing if it was out of pure arrogance or if he was truly sure there wasn’t any danger is impossible. Jeremiah can guess the answer, but still… Something just doesn’t add up.

Once arrived to the older’s room, Jeremiah helps him sit on an armchair before going out to grab him a glass of water. He could ask Rose to do the job – after all it wouldn’t be the first time she takes care of Christopher while he’s drunk – but this particular occasion seems too dangerous to be spread in rumors. If Mother and the others talk, all Halifax would know about it pretty soon. Oh, given his state, people probably noticed on his way home, but he’s not going to take more risks.

He hands him the glass and Christopher grumbles a cold “Thank you” before drinking it.


End file.
